In Hiding
by DarkFlameOfTheMonkey
Summary: Over the years, the transformation had progressed. My bones had shifted, and the sorcery had contributed as well. My hair hung in thin, stiff locks and strands, nothing like the crimson waves I used to fuss over as a child. I'm a creature of the shadows.


**A/N: Secret Society was on the other day, so expect a few more Valina-centred fanfictions for a while. I'm enjoying getting into her head. This fic might be a little out of character, but I'll let you be the judge of that. There was a scene where Ma Sheenko (I checked the credits, and it's spelled 'Sheenko') said that they didn't always appreciate Valina's make-up and style of dress. I thought, **_**That's a random thing to be talking about, given that she's a skeleton sorceress and you're leaders of the Skeletal Circle...**_** So what if Valina was actually **_**slightly**_** normal? Thusly the possible OOC-ness. But I noticed from watching that episode that Valina does have quite a number of sides to her personality. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I'm too busy to own SRMTHFG, or try getting it.**

In Hiding

I pounded my fist onto the quilt as hard as I could, bringing forth a scream from my throat. I wanted to tear apart the world in my maddened state. Maybe I could actually do it.

_Thanks to him, _I thought resentfully. I flicked my fingers, sparks rocketing uncontrollably around my nails. A book buried itself into the plaster wall, a hard-covered one. _It's his entire fault, it's his entire fault. I hate him!_

For the moment all I could do was destroy my bedroom in creative ways and think insults, but never say them. Speaking my feelings aloud would never display the true and full amount of hatred. Thinking words worked surprisingly better.

At the beginning, I had never felt this terrible. Over the years, the transformation had progressed. By now I had changed completely. My bones had shifted, and the sorcery had contributed as well. My hair hung in thin locks and strands, nothing like the crimson waves I used to fuss over when I was a girl. Was I even a girl anymore? Not even a teenager; not normal at all. A creature of the shadows, that's what they have made me.

And today, my parents -damn them both- told me that I was leaving their home. My own kingdom, they called it. My private realm and land, granted by the Skeleton King. Well, screw them.

I leapt off the bed and hunted around my desk for something that was made of glass. There was a large snowglobe that I had received as a birthday present, long ago. I'd forgotten who had given it to me. My hand closed around the glass ball and flung it carelessly towards the general direction of the window. It hit the windowsill; the little angel inside the glass orb tumbled out onto the floor, surrounded by water and thin glass shapes.

I tensed my arms down by my side and screeched again. Then the phone on my desk rang, the little red light flashing on and off. I glared at it, picking it up. "Leave a message!" I yelled into the mouthpiece.

"Valina?"

I became still when I heard the voice. I brought the phone closer to my mouth. "Who is it?" My voice was a whisper now.

"I'm outside your window, Valina."

I knitted my eyebrows together, dropping the phone onto my bed without hanging up. Taking care to dodge the broken glass on the floor, I walked slowly over to the bedroom window and pulled apart the white curtains.

The figure standing in the front yard noticed me and hung up his mobile phone, giving me a small wave.

I brought my hand up to my mouth, instinctively backing away from the window. I took a sharp, furious breath. _He saw me! _I thought with horror. I scrambled around my room, looking for a scarf among the mess. _Sunglasses, I need sunglasses... _Once again I recalled with bitterness how I was forced to hide my face and body because of the Skeleton King's work. My accursed parents... Cockroaches, both of them.

I found a pair of sunglasses and my old scarf, putting both on hastily. "Damn the boy, damn him!" I hissed through the wool across my mouth. I made my way back to the window and opened it.

"Valina, are you there?" he called. "Come on, Valina. You can't just ignore me."

_You could always turn him into a toad, _a voice in my head chirped. I stuck my head out of the window and shouted at the top of my voice, "I very well can ignore you! Completely and utterly."

"Oh, good. Now we can talk in a civilized manner." the boy said cheerfully. His grin disappeared. "You weren't where you said you were going to be, Valina. What happened?"

I growled at being reminded of this. Thankfully, the sunglasses hid my angry tears. "It was my parents." I seethed.

"Your parents?" the boy queried, an incredulous look in his eyes. "Valina, you've sneaked out of the house before, _without_ your parents finding out, and appear to have _no_ moral remorse about it."

_Because _this_ time, they were supervising me while I__ practised__ my magic._ I stamped my foot several times. _Cockroaches, nothing more! _But of course, I couldn't tell him why we couldn't meet. I couldn't just go and say, _"Alex, I've got pink eyes and mystical powers!"_

The youth on my lawn looked over his shoulder. The sun had set an hour ago, and no doubt he would be pressed to explain his absence to his own parents. "Look, I'm willing to forget about this. I just came to see if you were alright."

I rolled my eyes, lifting the glasses a little higher so I could look down my nose at him. "I'll make it up. Another day. Soon. Do you have some free time?"

He inclined his head. "I might be able to squeeze a meeting with you in there somewhere."

At this I laughed dryly. "You're joking, aren't you?"

He smiled and shook his head lightly. "I'll always be around for you, Valina."

"Ha!" I sat myself on the windowsill, leaning against the painted wood and relishing the cool breeze. "You just can't find another girl who would be willing to put up with you." I said with a sigh.

The young man's beam widened. "Maybe, but I do worry about you sometimes, Valina. You haven't been getting out as often as you used to. You're talking to me less as well."

I sighed again. What he said was true; Ma and Pa were becoming stricter with my training sessions. And my entire life in general.

"How's tomorrow? The ice cream parlour." the boy ventured.

"That would be...nice. Now _goodnight,_ Alex." I got off the ledge and retreated into the room without looking back. I threw off the sunglasses and sank into the bed with a groan. _He's going to be left waiting again, _I thought miserably.

My suitcases and bags weren't packed. I was taking nothing with me to the Savage Lands. And I was determined to leave behind my past with all of my other possessions.

Turning on my side, I took the scarf from my face and twisted it in my fingers. The tears of sadness wouldn't come. They never did. But for once, the tears of rage didn't come either. And so I lay on top of the satin quilt, silent and dry-eyed.

_He really cares about me, _I thought numbly.

For the first time, there was someone who truly loved me.

**And no, I don't have that sort of relationship with my parents and I'm glad I don't. Just a little random fic for fun. I figured I wasn't SRMTHFG-fanficcing enough. Maybe another one-shot in a few days. Please Review!**


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